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Thera 4.10: Sabbaka
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(196):Sabbaka Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter IV. Four Verses =196. Sabbaka= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāvatthī in a brahmin(priest) family and named Sabbaka, he heard the Exalted One(Buddha) teaching the Path(Dhamma), and believing, entered the Monk’s order. Taking an exercise, he went to the Loṇagiri Vihāra(monastery)on the banks of the river Ajakaraṇī, and there in due time won arahantship(enlightenment). Going upon that to salute the Lord(Buddha) at Sāvatthī, he stayed a little while, entertained by his family. And having confirmed them in the Refuges and the Precepts, he was anxious to return to his living. They begged him to stay and be supported by them. But he, showing them why he had come, and declaring his love of retirement by praise of his living-place, said: ---- 307 Yadā 36 balākā sucipaṇḍaracchadā|| Kāḷassa meghassa bhayena tajjitā,|| Palehiti ālayamālayesinī|| Tadā nadī ajakaraṇī rameti maɱ.|| || 308 Yadā balākā suvisuddhapaṇaḍarā|| Kāḷassa meghassa bhayena tajjitā,|| Pariyesati leṇamaleṇadassinī|| Tadā nadī ajakaraṇī rameti maɱ.|| || 309 Kaɱ nu tattha na ramenti jambuyo ubhato tahiɱ,|| Sobhenti āpagākūlaɱ mama leṇassa pacchato.|| || 310 Tā matamadasaŋghasuppahīnā|| Bhekā mandavatī panādayanti,|| Nājja girinadīhi vippavāsasamayo|| Khemā ajakaraṇī sivā surammā' ti.|| || ---- 307 Whenever I see the crane, her clear bright wings Outstretched in fear to flee the black stormcloud, A shelter seeking, to safe shelter borne, Then did the river Ajakaraṇī Give joy to me. 187308 Whenever I see the crane, her plumage pale And silver white outstretched in fear to flee The black stormcloud, seeing no refuge near, The refuge seeking of the rocky cave, Then did the river Ajakaraṇī Give joy to me. 309 Who did not love to see on either bank Clustered rose-apple trees in fair array Behind the great cave my hermitage1 310 Or hear the soft croak of the frogs, well rid Of their undying mortal foes proclaim: 'Not from the mountain-streams is’ it time to-day to move. Safe is the Ajakaraṇī. She brings us luck. Here is it good to be.'2 ---- Then the relatives caused him to depart. And because he showed in this his delight in empty places, this became the Thera's declaration of aññā(supreme attainment). ---- 1 The jambū-tree ie evergreen; its boughs bent with fruit; its glossy foliage affords shade (Commentary). 2 I do not find allusion elsewhere to this little river. It may well have been the name of a tributary of the Aciravatī flowing past Sāvatthī (see CLXXII.). In the line preceding the burden of the frogs' croak, text and both versions of the Commentary are at variance, and I do not pretend to have solved that which will be discussed more appropriately in an edition of the Commentary. The exact meaning is not vitally important to a poem in which the essentia) charm lies in its gentle paganism. That sangha can be used for a flock, say, of cranes, see Milindapañha, p. 403. ---- =4.12 196 Commentary on the stanza of Sappakatthera= The stanza starting with Yadā balākā constitutes that of the venerable thera Sappaka. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating acts of merit in this and that existence, was reborn as a dragon-king (nāgarājā) of plenty of power, thirtyone aeons (kappa) ago. Having plucked (gahatvā) a large lotus flower, the naga carried it above his head (uparimuddhani) and made his reverential offering of the same to a silent buddha, named, Sambhava, who was seated absorbed in jhāna (samāpatti) in the open air (abbhokāse). On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in a brahmin family in Savatthi, when this Buddha arose; having gained the name Sappaka, he, on having attained the age of intelligence, listened to the teaching of truth (dhamma) in the presence of the Blessed One, aptly gained piuos faith, became a monk, collected (his) mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna), and dwelling in the Leṇagiri monastery on the bank of the river named Ajakaraṇī, attained Arahantship, but before long, Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “Not far away from Himavanta, there was a hill named Romasa. At that time, there dwelt in the open air a silent buddha, named, Sambhava. Having come out of my mansion, I carried the lotus flower (over the silent buddha) having held (the lotus flower) for a day, I came back again to my mansion. It was thirtyone aeons (kappa) ago that I made my reverential offering specially; I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my reverential offering to Buddha. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having attained Arahantship, he had come to Sāvatthi to pay his homage to the Master; being attended upon by his relatives, the thera dwelt there for a few days, taught the truth (dhamma) made his kinsmen become established in the refuges as well as in moral precepts and was desirious of going but to the place according as had been said. The relatives of the thera requested him thus: “Venerable Sir! Do dwell but here; we shall take care of you (paṭijaggissāma).” He stood after having shown the gerture of his departure (damanākāraṃ) and spoke four stanzas making manifest his special delight in solitude (viveka) by way of (āpadasa) making his announcement (kittana) of the place in which he himself had dwelt. 307. “As and when the cranes (balākā) with their pure pale wings, frightened by the danger of dark clouds will go away flying from their pasture in search of nests and desiring to alight at rest, then it is that the Ajadaraṇī river gives me delight. 308. “As and when excellently pure pale cranes, terrified by the danger of dark rain clouds, not seeing their dwelling place, make nests at their permanent dwelling place; then, it is that the river Ajakaranī gives me delight. 309. “Whom do the Sugenia (Jambu) trees not give delight, those trees there, which make the place graceful on both banks of the river, at the back of my restful residence (leṇa)? 310. “Well abandoned is that residence (of mine) by swarms of snakes (amatamadā); frogs full of sweet sound (mandavatī) echo with their shower of their rain-calling cries (panādayanti); at present there is no occasion for my thoughtlessness (vippavāsa) from hills and rivers; the river Ajakaraṇi is secure and excellently enjoyable with her sandy shore (sivā). There, vadā means at whatever time. Balākā means: the crane birds. Sucipaṇḍaracchadā means: whose wings are of cleanly pure pale colour. Kālassa meghassa bhayena tajjitā means excited and frightened by the danger of rain-shower, owing to the thundering sound of rain-clouds, looking like a hill of collyrium (anjanagiri), which is black, because of being loaded with a burden of (rain) water. Palehiti means: will go after having flown up (uppatitvā) from their land of pasture (gocarabhūmi). Ālayaṃ means: abode, (nīlaya), their own nest. Ālayesinī means: there they desire but their lair (ālayanaṃ) and their restful residence (nīlīyanaṃ). Tadā nadī Ajakaraṇī rameti maṃ means: at that time of imminent shower of rain, the river, named Ajakaraṇī, brimful of mewly fresh water (navodaka), taking all that can be taken (hārahārinī), marked (aṅkasā) by (her) sloping bank (kūla) mades me joyful; wins my heart (cittaṃārādheti); thus, he made minifest his particular pleasure in (his) seclusion (viveku). Suvisuddhapaṇḍara means: excellently pure pale colour; unmixed colour (asammissavaṇṇā), all white; thus, is the meaning. Pariyeseti means: it seeks, it tracks (or hunts for maggati). Lenaṃ means: residential place, dwelling abode (vasanaṭṭhāna). Aleṇadassinī means: not finding their dwelling place; the bird is not the finder of her restful residence owing to the absence of permanent dwelling place formerly; pariyesanti lenaṃ means: now, having borne her pregnancy caused by the thundering sound of rain-cloud at the time of the threatening rain-shower, makes its permanent dwelling place and nest; thus, is the meaning. Kaṃ nu tattha, … Pacchato, thus; mama means: of my large restful residence (laṇa) where I dwelt; pacchato means: at the back portion; āpagākūlaṃ means: on both banks of the river Ajakaraṇī; tahiṃ tahiṃ means: here and there also (both the banks) make themselvesgraceful (sobhenitiyo) at all times being with branches of fruit-bearing trees bent down under the burden of fruits (phalabhāranamitasākhā) and shaded with charming lovely (siniddha) leaves; jambuyo tatthapu means: in that place; kaṃ means: to whom, namely, to which living being; na ramenti nu means: they all but provide pleasure (ramenti)? Te’matamada Saṅghasuppahīnā means: amata is said to be agada (medicinal drug), they get intoxicated by it; thus, maddened by medicine (amatamadā), snakes (sappā); their collection is the crowd (or swarms) of snakes (amatamadasaṃgho); well-abandoned that place, they had gone away from there. Bhikā means: femake frogs (maṇḍūkiyo); mandavati'' ''means: possesed of voice (Saravatī) panādayanti means: they resound that place with (their) sweet cries. Nājja girinadīhi vippavāsassamayo means: now, at present, there is no occasion for thoughtlessness (vippavāsa) from other mountain-born (pabbateyya) rivers; khemā Ajakaraṇīnadī means: in pariticular, however, the river Ajakaraṇī is secure, being devoid of wild beasts (vāḷa), fierce fishes, crocodiles and so on. Sivā means; prosperity of serene surface (sundaratala) good landing place (tittha) and silvery sand (pulina); surammā means: excellently joyful and delightful (ramaṇīyā); therefore, my mind is joyful (ramati) but there; thus, is the significance. Having, however, said in this manner, he let go his relatives and went (back) to his own place of residence. This stanza, even, became the thera’s exposition of his Arahantship (āññā) by illuminating his particular pleasure in an empty dwelling. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Sappaka is complete. ----